Principal of the Year—Susan Murphy was named principal of the year for the second year in a row in Alleghany County. Murphy has announced her intention to retire.

Principal of the year plans to retire in '07

After 31 years in education, Sparta School Principal Susan Murphy has served public schools in many ways. Murphy, who moved to Alleghany from Wilkes County with her family as an 18-month-old child, has served as a classroom teacher, Title I, assistant principal and most recently as a principal. Soon, she plans to join the ranks of Alleghany retirees.

Murphy said her professional goals have been realized in being a successful principal. "When I started teaching, I knew that I wanted to work in every facet of public education," she said. "I had hoped to work my way up to a principal's position. I've been very blessed to be able to realize my goals."

Murphy has spent 20 years working for Alleghany County schools, including working as a teacher at Glade Creek for about 11 and the remainder at Sparta School: first as assistant for three years and then as principal for seven years. She started her teaching career in Wilkes County, where she was a teacher at Roaring River School for about 11 years. "I drove back and forth every day," she said.

Murphy's family moved to Alleghany from Wilkes when her father, Archie Hayes, took a position as a salesman at Lowe's Hardware's first expansion store in Sparta.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News! Back